Crying Night

Seventeen: New Start

I looked at my surroundings after I woke up.

"How did I get back to the Sora estate?"  I wondered, "I know I walked from the hospital, but I don't remember how I got here..."

I noticed Taiyou sitting next to me then. He was sleeping on the bed.

"Taiyou! Wake up! What happened?" I started nudging him.

"Hunh?" He woke up, "Tsukki is awake...? TSUKI IS AWAKE! I have to tell Kaa-san!" 

He started running to the door.

"What's the big deal? How long was I asleep?" I asked, but it was too late.

He already ran to tell Sora Yumiya I was awake.

Four days after that, I stood in front of the hospital room where Teko was staying. I was a little afraid to see her, since I didn't know if she had changed. But I mustered the courage to knock on the door.

"Hello? Is this Senaka Teko's room?"

"Huh? That voice... Is that the Icy Blade?!" Teko asked in excitement from behind the door.

I heard running to the door as she flung it open.

"Wow! it really is! You came to visit me? When did you become interested in a reporter?! I thought you didn't like reporters... I've been your admirer for a long time! Can we be friends?" She bombarded me with this.

"Um, OK?"

 "Oh, I know it's a lot to ask for someone as cool as you, I just.... WAIT YOU AGREED?!" Teko yelled.

I started laughing. Thank goodness she's still the same...

"You're laughing! Shutter chance! Wait, where's my trusty camera?" She started looking around.

It was no wonder she didn't have it. I did. After all, she actually left it at the Sora estate. I found out after the three days I was asleep.

I found out when everyone burst through the door four days ago, sobbing that I was half dead. The doctor even explained it was a miracle I only slept for three days after using my Moon Power to the brink and walking to a hospital. Taiyou told me that I fell asleep a few seconds after leaving the hospital. The receptionist I talked to found me collapsed outside the door, but she didn't know who to call. It was then someone mysterious came, told them my name and who to call, and disappeared. They didn't know this person's identity, but they knew that they were male by the voice. That was it.

Then it was my turn to tell them what happened before that. I explained how Hoshi-onee-sama was truly protecting me despite helping Otou-sama and Gin beforehand, how I killed those two, how Onee-sama was also Teko, and how Onee-sama died.

Everyone was silent after that, including me. It was a huge blow to know Kusari Hoshi died, but it was also hard to understand how I killed Otou-sama and Gin, but I was still in danger somehow. Hoshi-onee-sama still guarding me in Teko's form was proof enough of that. However, I decided not to think about it until I visited Teko.

So, I started to figure out how to approach her. Because I knew she would remember her identity otherwise, I took the liberty of learning how to delete photos from that camera to let it seem like our friendship never happened. It pained me, but it needed to be done. 

When I was deleting photos of my smile and everything else, though, I noticed old pictures from before all of those events happened: they were of me as a child, of my growth, and some pictures from the confession and my approval. Because of that, I stopped deleting and decided to get her a new one. I would keep the old one.

It took four days to find a good camera for her, but it was worth it. The old one only took pictures, but this time I got one that could take video, too. It costed a lot of money, but I thought it would be better for her.

"Aw, man! I missed your laughing!" Teko snapped me out of my reminiscing with her dejected look.

"Um, I noticed you didn't have your camera a while ago. So, I got you a new one." I told her.

"Why would you do that?" She tilted her head with curiosity.

"Because... I wanted to be your friend, too!" I said as I took the camera out of the goody bag I brought.

 "Aww, thank you! I'll take good care of it!" She smiled as she took the camera, "I guess I lost my old camera somehow! I didn't know because I have been having lapses in memory!" 

I decided to cut my visit short then. 

"I'll go now. I just wanted to let you know I wanted to be your friend." I said as I turned to the door.

 "Wait!" Teko stopped me, "Thanks for this awesome gift! I'll repay you someday!" 

I didn't reply as I walked out the door.  

When I exited of the hospital, I stopped, looked at Teko's room for a moment, and turned back around.

"I should be saying that to you, Tekko." I said with a small voice.

I took a deep breath and walked away.